U.S. patent number 7,997,644 [Application Number 12/276,567] was granted by the patent office on 2011-08-16 for gliding-reclining seating unit with power actuator.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Ultra-Mek, Inc.. Invention is credited to D. Stephen Hoffman, Marcus L. Murphy.
United States Patent |
7,997,644 |
Hoffman , et al. |
August 16, 2011 |
Gliding-reclining seating unit with power actuator
Abstract
A gliding and reclining seating unit includes: a base unit with
a first bearing surface; a generally horizontally-disposed seat
positioned above the base; a generally upright backrest positioned
above the base and substantially rearward of the seat; an
extendable ottoman; a reclining mechanism attached to the seat, the
backrest, the ottoman and the base unit, the reclining mechanism
comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links; a gliding
mechanism attached to the base unit and the reclining mechanism,
the gliding mechanism being configured to enable the seat, backrest
and reclining mechanism to glide relative to the base unit along a
longitudinal path responsive to a longitudinally-directed force;
and a power actuating unit attached to the reclining mechanism. The
actuating unit is configured to move the chair between (a) an
upright position, in which the seat is generally horizontally
disposed, the backrest is generally vertically disposed, and the
ottoman are generally vertically disposed and positioned below the
seat, (b) an intermediate TV position, in which the ottoman is
generally horizontally disposed in front of the seat and the
backrest and the seat substantially maintain the same relationship
as they have in the upright position, and (c) a fully reclined
position, in which the angle between the backrest and the seat
increases.
Inventors: |
Hoffman; D. Stephen (High
Point, NC), Murphy; Marcus L. (Lexington, NC) |
Assignee: |
Ultra-Mek, Inc. (Denton,
NC)
|
Family
ID: |
42195555 |
Appl.
No.: |
12/276,567 |
Filed: |
November 24, 2008 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20100127555 A1 |
May 27, 2010 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
297/85M;
297/344.21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47C
1/0355 (20130101); A47C 3/0255 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
1/031 (20060101); A47C 1/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;297/85M,68,342,330,344.21,344.24,344.26 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
Lusch Brochure: "Functional Fitting and Tubular steel frames for
Relaxing Chairs (11 pages), Functional Fittings for Sofabeds and
Beds (10 pages), Bed Fitting (5 pages) and Upholstery joints and
accessories for furniture (9 pages)", (available before Apr. 7,
2006). cited by other .
"Stawett Functional Bed Mechanisms Brochure", pp. 3-93 (2001).
cited by other.
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Primary Examiner: Nelson, Jr.; Milton
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Myers Bigel Sibley &
Sajovec
Claims
That which is claimed is:
1. A gliding and reclining seating unit, comprising: a base unit
with a first bearing surface; a generally horizontally-disposed
seat positioned above the base unit; a generally upright backrest
positioned above the base unit and substantially rearward of the
seat; an extendable ottoman; a reclining mechanism attached to the
seat, the backrest, the ottoman and the base unit, the reclining
mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links;
a gliding mechanism attached to the base unit and the reclining
mechanism, the gliding mechanism being configured to enable the
seat, backrest and reclining mechanism to glide relative to the
base unit along a longitudinal path responsive to a
longitudinally-directed force; and a power actuating unit attached
to the reclining mechanism, the actuating unit configured to move
the seating unit between (a) an upright position, in which the seat
is generally horizontally disposed, the backrest is generally
vertically disposed, and the ottoman is generally vertically
disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an intermediate TV
position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed
in front of the seat and the backrest and the seat substantially
maintain the same relationship as they have in the upright
position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the angle
between the backrest and the seat increases.
2. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the reclining
mechanism includes a pantographic linkage on which the ottoman is
mounted, and wherein in the TV and fully reclined positions, pivots
between links of the pantographic linkage form a near over-center
arrangement that locks the ottoman in position.
3. The seating unit defined in claim 1, further comprising a
locking mechanism that allows the seating unit to glide while in
the upright position but prevents gliding of the seating unit while
in the TV and fully reclined positions.
4. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the power actuating
unit includes opposed first and second ends, and wherein the first
end of the power actuating unit moves forwardly as the seating unit
moves from the upright position to the TV position, and wherein the
second end of the power actuating unit moves rearwardly when the
seating unit moves from the TV position to the fully reclined
position.
5. The seating unit defined in claim 4, wherein the reclining
mechanism includes a lower swing link pivotally attached with the
base unit and an upper swing link pivotally attached with the lower
swing link and with the backrest, and wherein the second end of the
power actuating unit is attached with the upper swing link.
6. The seating unit defined in claim 4, wherein the power actuating
unit includes a motor and an extendable member at the first and
second ends.
7. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the seat rises in
moving from the TV position to the fully reclined position.
8. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the base unit
further comprises a swivel unit.
9. The seating unit defined in claim 1, wherein the reclining
mechanism includes a backpost that is fixed relative to the
backrest, a mounting bracket that is fixed relative to the gliding
mechanism and pivotally attached to the backpost, and a seat
adapter that is fixed relative to the seat and pivotally attached
to the backpost.
10. A gliding and reclining seating unit, comprising: a base unit
with a first bearing surface; a generally horizontally-disposed
seat positioned above the base unit; a generally upright backrest
positioned above the base unit and substantially rearward of the
seat; an extendable ottoman; a reclining mechanism attached to the
seat, the backrest, the ottoman and the base unit, the reclining
mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links;
a gliding mechanism attached to the base unit and the reclining
mechanism, the gliding mechanism being configured to enable the
seat, backrest and reclining mechanism to glide relative to the
base unit along a longitudinal path responsive to a
longitudinally-directed force; and a linear actuator attached to
the reclining mechanism, the linear actuator configured to move the
seating unit between (a) an upright position, in which the seat is
generally horizontally disposed, the backrest is generally
vertically disposed, and the ottoman is generally vertically
disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an intermediate TV
position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed
in front of the seat and the backrest and the seat substantially
maintain the same relationship as they have in the upright
position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the angle
between the backrest and the seat increases.
11. The seating unit defined in claim 10, wherein the reclining
mechanism includes a pantographic linkage on which the ottoman is
mounted, and wherein in the TV and fully reclined positions, pivots
between links of the pantographic linkage form a near over-center
arrangement that locks the ottoman in position.
12. The seating unit defined in claim 10, further comprising a
locking mechanism that allows the seating unit to glide on the
gliding mechanism while in the upright position but prevents
gliding of the seating unit while in the TV and fully reclined
positions.
13. The seating unit defined in claim 10, further comprising a
swivel unit attached to the base unit.
14. The seating unit defined in claim 10, wherein the reclining
mechanism includes a backpost that is fixed relative to the
backrest, a mounting bracket that is fixed relative to the gliding
mechanism and pivotally attached to the backpost, and a seat
adapter that is fixed relative to the seat pivotally attached to
the backpost.
15. The seating unit defined in claim 10, wherein the seat rises in
moving from the TV position to the fully reclined position.
16. A gliding and reclining seating unit, comprising: a base unit
with a first bearing surface; a generally horizontally-disposed
seat positioned above the base unit; a generally upright backrest
positioned above the base unit and substantially rearward of the
seat; an extendable ottoman; a reclining mechanism attached to the
seat, the backrest, the ottoman and the base unit, the reclining
mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links;
a gliding mechanism attached to the base unit and the reclining
mechanism, the gliding mechanism being configured to enable the
seat, backrest and reclining mechanism to glide relative to the
base unit along a longitudinal path responsive to a
longitudinally-directed force; and a linear power actuating unit
attached to the reclining mechanism, the actuating unit configured
to move the seating unit between (a) an upright position, in which
the seat is generally horizontally disposed, the backrest is
generally vertically disposed, and the ottoman are generally
vertically disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an
intermediate TV position, in which the ottoman is generally
horizontally disposed in front of the seat and the backrest and the
seat substantially maintain the same relationship as they have in
the upright position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which
the angle between the backrest and the seat increases; wherein the
linear actuator includes opposed first and second ends, and wherein
the first end of the linear actuator moves forwardly as the seating
unit moves from the upright position to the TV position, and
wherein the second end of the linear actuator moves rearwardly when
the seating unit moves from the TV position to the fully reclined
position.
17. The seating unit defined in claim 16, wherein the reclining
mechanism includes a lower swing link pivotally attached with the
base unit and an upper swing link pivotally attached with the lower
swing link and with the backrest, and wherein the second end of the
linear actuator is attached with the upper swing link.
18. A gliding and reclining seating unit, comprising: a base unit
with a first bearing surface; a generally horizontally-disposed
seat positioned above the base unit; a generally upright backrest
positioned above the base unit and substantially rearward of the
seat; an extendable ottoman; a reclining mechanism attached to the
seat, the backrest, the ottoman and the base unit, the reclining
mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links;
a gliding mechanism attached to the base unit and the reclining
mechanism, the gliding mechanism being configured to enable the
seat, backrest and reclining mechanism to glide relative to the
base unit along a longitudinal path responsive to a
longitudinally-directed force; and a linear actuator attached to
the reclining mechanism, the linear actuator configured to move the
seating unit between (a) an upright position, in which the seat is
generally horizontally disposed, the backrest is generally
vertically disposed, and the ottoman is generally vertically
disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an intermediate TV
position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed
in front of the seat and the backrest and the seat substantially
maintain the same relationship as they have in the upright
position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the angle
between the backrest and the seat increases; wherein the reclining
mechanism includes a pantographic linkage on which the ottoman is
mounted, and wherein in the TV and fully reclined positions, pivots
between links of the pantographic linkage form a near over-center
arrangement that locks the ottoman in position; and wherein the
reclining mechanism includes a backpost that is fixed relative to
the backrest, a mounting bracket that is fixed relative to the
gliding mechanism and pivotally attached to the backpost, and a
seat adapter that is fixed relative to the seat and pivotally
attached to the backpost.
19. The seating unit defined in claim 18, wherein the linear
actuator includes opposed first and second ends, and wherein the
first end of the linear actuator moves forwardly as the seating
unit moves from the upright position to the TV position, and
wherein the second end of the linear actuator moves rearwardly when
the seating unit moves from the TV position to the fully reclined
position.
20. The seating unit defined in claim 19, wherein the reclining
mechanism includes a lower swing link pivotally attached with the
base unit and an upper swing link pivotally attached with the lower
swing link and with the backrest, and wherein the second end of the
linear actuator is attached with the upper swing link.
21. A gliding and reclining seating unit, comprising: a base unit
with a first bearing surface; a generally horizontally-disposed
seat positioned above the base unit; a generally upright backrest
positioned above the base unit and substantially rearward of the
seat; an extendable ottoman; a reclining mechanism attached to the
seat, the backrest, the ottoman and the base unit, the reclining
mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally interconnected links;
a gliding mechanism attached to the base unit and the reclining
mechanism, the gliding mechanism being configured to enable the
seat, backrest and reclining mechanism to glide relative to the
base unit along a longitudinal path responsive to a
longitudinally-directed force; and a power actuating unit attached
to the reclining mechanism, the actuating unit configured to move
the chair between (a) an upright position, in which the seat is
generally horizontally disposed, the backrest is generally
vertically disposed, and the ottoman is generally vertically
disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an intermediate TV
position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed
in front of the seat and the backrest and the seat substantially
maintain the same relationship as they have in the upright
position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the angle
between the backrest and the seat increases; wherein the reclining
mechanism includes a backpost fixed relative to the backrest and a
sequencer plate pivotally interconnected with the backrest and with
others of the plurality of pivotally interconnected links of the
reclining mechanism, and wherein the sequencer plate rotates in a
first rotative direction relative to the backrest when the seating
unit moves from the upright position to the TV position, and
wherein the backrest rotates relative to the sequencer plate in the
first rotative direction when the seating unit moves from the TV
position to the fully reclined position.
22. The seating unit defined in claim 21, wherein the backrest
includes one of a pin and a slot, and the sequencer plate includes
the other of a pin and a slot, the pin being received in the
slot.
23. The seating unit defined in claim 22, wherein the backrest
includes the pin, and the sequencer plate includes the slot.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to seating units, and relates more
particularly to reclining seating units with rocking
capability.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Recliner chairs and other reclining seating units have proven to be
popular with consumers. These seating units typically move from an
upright position, in which the backrest is generally upright, to
one or more reclined positions, in which the backrest pivots to be
less upright. The movement of the seating unit between the upright
and reclined positions is typically controlled by a pair of
matching reclining mechanisms that are attached to the seat,
backrest and base of the chair.
In recent years, furniture designers have looked for alternatives
to rocking chairs that can provide a similarly relaxing repetitive
motion. One alternative has been the gliding chair, or "glider",
which includes structure that enables the seat portion of the chair
to "glide" forwardly and rearwardly relative to its base to mimic
generally the rocking motion of a rocking chair. Often the gliding
structure comprises a set of swing links (usually two at the front
of the chair, and two at the rear) that are pivotally attached at
their upper ends to the base and extend downwardly therefrom to
attach to a structure, such as a mounting bracket, that is attached
to the seat. In this configuration, the seat is suspended from the
base and is free to swing forwardly and rearwardly in a double
pendulum-type motion in response to a forwardly or
rearwardly-directed force applied by a seated occupant. The gliding
path of the chair is controlled by the configuration and mounting
of the swing links. These chairs can be constructed to resemble
traditional rocking chairs and thus are quite popular.
Reclining capability has been combined with gliding capability in a
single unit to provide a chair that both reclines and glides. This
chair includes a reclining mechanism that enables it to move
between upright and one or more reclined positions, and further
includes the aforementioned swing links attached between the base
and the seat, armrests, or mechanism itself to enable the chair to
glide. Examples of such chairs are illustrated and described in
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,536,029 and 4,544,201, both to Rogers, Jr., the
disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in
their entireties.
Although they are already popular seating units, it may be
desirable to provide additional functionality to
glider-recliners.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As a first aspect, embodiments of the present invention are
direction to a gliding and reclining seating unit. The
glider-recliner comprises: a base unit with a first bearing
surface; a generally horizontally-disposed seat positioned above
the base; a generally upright backrest positioned above the base
and substantially rearward of the seat; an extendable ottoman; a
reclining mechanism attached to the seat, the backrest, the ottoman
and the base unit, the reclining mechanism comprising a plurality
of pivotally interconnected links; a gliding mechanism attached to
the base unit and the reclining mechanism, the gliding mechanism
being configured to enable the seat, backrest and reclining
mechanism to glide relative to the base unit along a longitudinal
path responsive to a longitudinally-directed force; and a power
actuating unit attached to the reclining mechanism. The actuating
unit is configured to move the chair between (a) an upright
position, in which the seat is generally horizontally disposed, the
backrest is generally vertically disposed, and the ottoman are
generally vertically disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an
intermediate TV position, in which the ottoman is generally
horizontally disposed in front of the seat and the backrest and the
seat substantially maintain the same relationship as they have in
the upright position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which
the angle between the backrest and the seat increases.
As a second aspect, embodiments of the present invention are
directed to a gliding and reclining seating unit, comprising: a
base unit with a first bearing surface; a generally
horizontally-disposed seat positioned above the base; a generally
upright backrest positioned above the base and substantially
rearward of the seat; an extendable ottoman; a reclining mechanism
attached to the seat, the backrest, the ottoman and the base unit,
the reclining mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally
interconnected links; a gliding mechanism attached to the base unit
and the reclining mechanism, the gliding mechanism being configured
to enable the seat, backrest and reclining mechanism to glide
relative to the base unit along a longitudinal path responsive to a
longitudinally-directed force; and a linear actuator attached to
the reclining mechanism. The linear actuator is configured to move
the chair between (a) an upright position, in which the seat is
generally horizontally disposed, the backrest is generally
vertically disposed, and the ottoman are generally vertically
disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an intermediate TV
position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed
in front of the seat and the backrest and the seat substantially
maintain the same relationship as they have in the upright
position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the angle
between the backrest and the seat increases.
As a third aspect, embodiments of the present invention are
directed to a gliding and reclining seating unit, comprising: a
base unit with a first bearing surface; a generally
horizontally-disposed seat positioned above the base; a generally
upright backrest positioned above the base and substantially
rearward of the seat; an extendable ottoman; a reclining mechanism
attached to the seat, the backrest, the ottoman and the base unit,
the reclining mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally
interconnected links; a gliding mechanism attached to the base unit
and the reclining mechanism, the gliding mechanism being configured
to enable the seat, backrest and reclining mechanism to glide
relative to the base unit along a longitudinal path responsive to a
longitudinally-directed force; and a linear actuator attached to
the reclining mechanism. The linear actuator is configured to move
the chair between (a) an upright position, in which the seat is
generally horizontally disposed, the backrest is generally
vertically disposed, and the ottoman are generally vertically
disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an intermediate TV
position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed
in front of the seat and the backrest and the seat substantially
maintain the same relationship as they have in the upright
position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the angle
between the backrest and the seat increases. The reclining
mechanism includes a pantographic linkage on which the ottoman is
mounted. In the TV and fully reclined positions, pivots between
links of the pantographic linkage form a near over-center
arrangement that locks the ottoman in position. The reclining
mechanism also includes a backpost that is fixed relative to the
backrest, a mounting bracket that is fixed relative to the rocker
cams and pivotally attached to the backpost, and a seat adapter
that is fixed relative to the seat and pivotally attached to the
backpost.
As a fourth aspect, embodiments of the present invention are
directed to a gliding and reclining seating unit comprising: a base
unit with a first bearing surface; a generally
horizontally-disposed seat positioned above the base; a generally
upright backrest positioned above the base and substantially
rearward of the seat; an extendable ottoman; a reclining mechanism
attached to the seat, the backrest, the ottoman and the base unit,
the reclining mechanism comprising a plurality of pivotally
interconnected links; a gliding mechanism attached to the base unit
and the reclining mechanism, the gliding mechanism being configured
to enable the seat, backrest and reclining mechanism to glide
relative to the base unit along a longitudinal path responsive to a
longitudinally-directed force; and a power actuating unit attached
to the reclining mechanism. The actuating unit is configured to
move the chair between (a) an upright position, in which the seat
is generally horizontally disposed, the backrest is generally
vertically disposed, and the ottoman are generally vertically
disposed and positioned below the seat, (b) an intermediate TV
position, in which the ottoman is generally horizontally disposed
in front of the seat and the backrest and the seat substantially
maintain the same relationship as they have in the upright
position, and (c) a fully reclined position, in which the angle
between the backrest and the seat increases. The reclining
mechanism includes a backpost fixed relative to the backrest and a
sequencer plate pivotally interconnected with the backrest and with
the remainder of the reclining mechanism, and wherein the sequencer
plate rotates in a first rotative direction relative to the
backrest when the seating unit moves from the upright position to
the TV position, and wherein the backrest rotates relative to the
sequencer plate in the first rotative direction when the seating
unit moves from the TV position to the fully reclined position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a glider-recliner chair according
to embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side section view of the chair of FIG. 1 with the chair
in its fully upright position.
FIG. 3 is a side section view of the chair of FIG. 1 with the chair
in its TV position.
FIG. 4 is a side section view of the chair of FIG. 1 with the chair
in its fully reclined position.
FIG. 5 is a top cutaway view of the frame of the chair of FIG.
1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which embodiments of the
invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in
many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the
embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are
provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and
will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in
the art.
Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In the figures, the
thickness of certain lines, layers, components, elements or
features may be exaggerated for clarity. Broken lines illustrate
optional features or operations unless specified otherwise.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of
the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and
"the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood
that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this
specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude
the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As
used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of
one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, phrases
such as "between X and Y" and "between about X and Y" should be
interpreted to include X and Y. As used herein, phrases such as
"between about X and Y" mean "between about X and about Y." As used
herein, phrases such as "from about X to Y" mean "from about X to
about Y."
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and
scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly
understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this
invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such
as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be
interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their
meaning in the context of the specification and relevant art and
should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense
unless expressly so defined herein. Well-known functions or
constructions may not be described in detail for brevity and/or
clarity.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being
"on", "attached" to, "connected" to, "coupled" with, "contacting",
etc., another element, it can be directly on, attached to,
connected to, coupled with or contacting the other element or
intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an
element is referred to as being, for example, "directly on",
"directly attached" to, "directly connected" to, "directly coupled"
with or "directly contacting" another element, there are no
intervening elements present. It will also be appreciated by those
of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that
is disposed "adjacent" another feature may have portions that
overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.
This invention is directed to seating units that have a stationary
base, a seat portion, and a backrest. As used herein, the terms
"forward", "forwardly", and "front" and derivatives thereof refer
to the direction defined by a vector extending from the backrest
toward the seat parallel to the underlying surface. Conversely, the
terms "rearward", "rearwardly", and derivatives thereof refer to
the direction directly opposite the forward direction; the rearward
direction is defined by a vector that extends from the seat toward
the backrest parallel to the underlying surface. The terms
"lateral," "laterally", and derivatives thereof refer to the
direction parallel with the floor, perpendicular to the forward and
rearward directions, and extending away from a plane bisecting the
seating units between their armrests. The terms "medial," "inward,"
"inboard," and derivatives thereof refer to the direction that is
the converse of the lateral direction, i.e., the direction parallel
with the floor, perpendicular to the forward direction, and
extending from the periphery of the seating units toward the
aforementioned bisecting plane.
The seating units illustrated and described herein comprise a
plurality of pivotally interconnected links. Those skilled in this
art will appreciate that the pivots between links can take a
variety of configurations, such as pivot pins, rivets, bolt and nut
combinations, and the like, any of which would be suitable for use
with the present invention. Also, the shapes of the links may vary
as desired, as may the locations of certain of the pivots.
Moreover, in some instances combinations of pivot points may be
replaced by equivalent structures, such as "slider-crank"
configurations, like those described in B. Paul, Kinematics and
Dynamics of Planar Machinery 4-21 (1979).
Referring now to the figures, a swiveling glider-recliner chair,
designated broadly at 10, is illustrated in FIGS. 1-5. The chair 10
includes a base unit 11, a seat 13 that is generally horizontally
disposed above the base unit 11, a backrest 15 that is generally
vertically and disposed substantially above a rear portion of the
seat 13, and two ottomans 17a, 17b, which, in the upright position
of FIG. 1, are generally vertically disposed below a front portion
of the seat 13. Arms 18 are positioned on either side of the seat
13 and move in concert with the seat 13.
A pair of mirror image reclining mechanisms 30 (only one of which
is shown herein in FIGS. 2-4) are attached to the backrest 15, the
seat 13, and the ottomans 17a, 17b. The reclining mechanisms 30,
which comprise a plurality of interconnected links, move the chair
10 between (a) an upright position (FIGS. 1 and 2), in which the
seat 13 is generally horizontally disposed, the backrest 15 is
generally vertically disposed, and the ottomans 17a, 17b are
generally vertically disposed and positioned below the seat 13, (b)
an intermediate TV position (FIG. 3), in which the ottomans 17a,
17b are generally horizontally disposed in front of the seat 13 and
the backrest 15 and the seat 13 substantially maintain the same
relationship as they have in the upright position, and (c) a fully
reclined position (FIG. 4), in which the angle between the backrest
15 and the seat 13 increases. These components are described in
greater detail below.
The base unit 11 includes a circular lower base 12. A swivel unit
14 is mounted onto the top of the lower base 12. Cross-members 18
are mounted atop the swivel unit 14. Those skilled in this art will
recognize that the base unit 11 may take other forms that provide
mounting locations for the remaining components of the chair 10;
for example, the swivel unit 14 may be omitted.
Glide foundation plates 24 are mounted to the top surfaces of the
cross-members 18. A front glide link 20 is attached at a pivot 21
to the front end of the glide foundation plate 24, and a rear glide
link 25 is attached at a pivot 26 to the rear end of the glide
foundation plate 24. The front and rear glide links 20, 25 are
suspended from the glide foundation plate 24 and together form a
gliding mechanism 28 that provides a gliding motion to the chair 10
when it is in its upright position (FIG. 2). Those skilled in this
art will appreciate that the gliding mechanism may take other
forms; it may include glide links of different shapes, or it may
include a "track"-based gliding mechanism.
Because the reclining mechanisms 30 are mirror images of each
other, only one reclining mechanism will be described in detail
herein, with the understanding that the discussion is equally
applicable to the mirror image mechanism 30. Also, for clarity the
mechanism will be described first with reference to FIG. 4 (with
the mechanism 30 in its reclined position), then will be described
in its upright and TV positions.
Turning now to FIG. 4, the reclining mechanism 30 includes a
generally arcuate foundation link 31, which is attached at either
end to the front and rear glide links 20, 25 at pivots 22, 27,
respectively. A generally crescent-shaped mounting bracket 32 is
fixed to the foundation link 31. A slot 32a is present at the front
end of the mounting bracket 32. An L-shaped lower swing link 34 is
attached to a lower region of the mounting bracket 32 at a pivot 36
and extends upwardly and rearwardly, then upwardly and forwardly
therefrom. A straight upper swing link 38 is attached at its lower
end to the upper end of the lower swing link 34 at a pivot 40 and
extends upwardly therefrom.
A backpost 48 is fixed to the backrest 15 and extends generally
forwardly from the lower front end of the backrest 15. The upper
swing link 38 is attached to a forward portion of the backpost 48
at a pivot 50. A straight coupling link 52 having a slot 52a is
attached to the backpost 48 via a pin 48a located forwardly of the
pivot 50. The coupling link 52 extends forwardly and downwardly
from the pin 48a to attach to the front end of the mounting bracket
32 via a pin 52b inserted into a slot 32a in the mounting bracket
32. A trapezoidal sequencer plate 54 is attached to the backpost 48
at a pivot 58, and also interacts with the backpost 48 via a slot
54a that receives a pin 48b. The sequencer plate 54 is also
attached to the rear end of the mounting bracket 32 at a pivot
56.
Still referring to FIG. 4, a seat frame 62, to which the arms 18
are mounted, underlies the seat 13. A seat adapter 66 is fixed to
the seat frame 62. The seat adapter 66 is attached to the backpost
48 at a pivot 68 that is located just rearward of the pivot 50. An
upper ottoman swing link 72 is attached to a front region of the
seat adapter 66 at a pivot 74 and extends downwardly and forwardly
therefrom. A tripartite lower ottoman swing link 76 is attached to
a pivot 78 that is located rearwardly and downwardly from the pivot
74; the lower ottoman swing link 76 extends generally forwardly
from the pivot 78. An upper ottoman extension link 80 is attached
to the forward end of the lower ottoman swing link 76 at a pivot 82
and extends forwardly and upwardly therefrom. Also the upper
ottoman extension link 80 is attached to the upper ottoman swing
link at a pivot 84. A lower ottoman extension link 86 is attached
to the forward end of the upper ottoman swing link at a pivot 88
that is positioned above and forward of the pivot 84 and extends
upwardly and forwardly therefrom generally parallel with the upper
ottoman extension link. An outer ottoman bracket 90 is generally
horizontally disposed and is attached to the upper and lower
ottoman extension links 80, 86 at pivots 92, 94 respectively. The
ottoman 17a is mounted on the outer ottoman bracket 90.
An L-shaped inner ottoman bracket 96 is attached at its lower,
forward end to the lower ottoman extension link 86 at a pivot 98.
At its opposite end, the inner ottoman bracket 96 supports the
ottoman 17b. The inner ottoman bracket 96 also includes a slot 96a
that receives a pin 80a located on the upper ottoman extension link
80.
A connecting link 100 is attached to the sequencer plate 54 at a
pivot 102. The connecting link 100 extends forwardly and slightly
upwardly from the pivot 102 to a pivot 104 with the lower ottoman
swing link 76.
A locking mechanism 130 is attached to the reclining mechanism 30
to prevent gliding of the chair 10 when it is in the TV or fully
reclined positions. The locking mechanism 130 includes a drive link
132 that is pivotally interconnected at one end to the sequencer
plate 54 at a pivot 134. The drive link 132 is a straight link that
slopes downwardly and slightly forwardly from the pivot 134. The
opposite end of the drive link 132 is pivotally interconnected with
a downwardly-extending projection 138 of a hook-shaped locking link
136 at a pivot 140. The locking link 136 is attached to the
mounting bracket 32 at a pivot 142.
The chair 10 includes a power unit 112 that drives the chair 10
between its upright, TV and fully reclined positions. The power
unit 112 includes a motor unit 114, to which is attached a sleeve
116. The sleeve extends rearwardly from the motor unit 114 and
receives a retractable rod 118. The motor unit 114 is electrically
connected with an actuator (not shown), such as a toggle switch or
the like, that energizes the motor unit 114 upon actuation.
The motor unit 114 is attached to a mounting bracket 110 at a pivot
120 via a mounting tab 114a (see FIG. 5). The mounting bracket 110
is then attached to a cross-member 108 that extends between the
reclining mechanisms 30. A bracket 106 is fixed to each of the
lower ottoman swing links 76 and to the cross-member 108.
The rod 118 of the power unit 112 is attached to a bracket 46 (FIG.
5) at a pivot 122. The bracket 46 is then attached to a
cross-member 44 that extends between the reclining mechanisms 30;
the cross-member 44 is fixed to a bracket 42 that is in turn fixed
to the upper swing link 38 of each reclining mechanism 30.
As can be seen in FIG. 2, in the upright position, the rod 118 of
the power unit 112 is retracted into the sleeve 116. As a result, a
pantographic linkage formed by the upper and lower ottoman swing
links 72, 76 and the upper and lower ottoman extension links 80, 86
are folded under the seat frame 62, which positions the ottoman 17b
underneath a forward portion of the seat frame 62 and the ottoman
17a just forward of and below the seat frame 62 in a vertical
orientation. Also, the lower and upper swing links 34, 38 are
oriented such that the upper segment of the lower swing link 34 is
generally horizontal, which positions the backpost 48 and, in turn,
the backrest 15, in a generally upright position.
Additionally, the sequencer plate 54 is oriented such that the
pivot 102 is located downwardly and rearwardly, such that the
locking link 136 of the locking mechanism 130 is raised, with a
pocket 137 facing downwardly and positioned above a post 139 on the
rear glide link 25. In this position, the chair 10 is free to glide
as the front and rear glide links 20, 25 are free to swing on the
pivots 21, 26, thereby enabling the reclining mechanisms 30, the
seat 13, the backrest 15 and the ottomans 17a, 17b to move
fore-and-aft relative to the base unit 11. During the gliding
motion, the majority of the locking mechanism 130 is stationary
relative to the reclining mechanisms 30. Because the locking link
136 does not move relative to the reclining mechanism 30 as the
chair 10 glides, it does not interact with the post 139.
To move the chair 10 from the upright position to the TV position
of FIG. 3, an occupant of the chair 10 actuates the actuator, which
causes the rod 118 to begin to extend from the sleeve 116.
Extension of the rod 118 forces the upper swing link 38 to rotate
slightly counterclockwise (from the vantage point of FIGS. 2 and 3)
about the pivot 40. This movement draws the backpost 48 and rear
end of the seat frame 62 downwardly, which causes the seat 13 to
increase in pitch angle relative to the underlying surface.
However, the weight of the seated occupant prevents further
rotation of the upper swing link 38 at this point. Because there is
little to no fore-and-aft movement of the rear end of the rod 118,
the motor unit 114 moves forwardly relative to the base unit 11,
thereby driving the lower ottoman swing link 76 counterclockwise
about the pivot 78. Rotation of the lower ottoman swing link 76
forces the upper ottoman extension link 80 forward, which in turn
draws the upper ottoman swing link 72 counterclockwise around the
pivot 74. Also, the lower ottoman extension link 86 moves forwardly
more than the upper ottoman extension link 80, such that the outer
ottoman bracket 90 and the inner ottoman bracket 96 rotate
counterclockwise (rotation of the inner ottoman bracket 96 causes
the pin 80a to move in the slot 96a toward the pivot 98). The
rotation of the outer and inner ottoman brackets 90, 96 induces the
ottomans 17a, 17b to rotate from a vertical orientation to a
horizontal orientation. Motion of the ottomans 17a, 17b ceases when
a pin 72a on the upper ottoman swing link 72 strikes the upper edge
of the upper ottoman extension link 80.
In addition, the rotation of the lower ottoman swing link 76 draws
the connecting link 100 forward. Movement of the connecting link
100 rotates the sequencer plate 54 counterclockwise about the pivot
58 with the backpost 48. The drive link 132 of the locking
mechanism 130 is driven down and rotates the locking link 136
counterclockwise. The movement of the locking link 136 ceases when
the pocket 137 of the locking link 136 descends sufficiently to
receive the post 139 on the rear glide link 25. In this position,
relative movement between the front and rear glide links 20, 25 and
the reclining mechanisms is restrained, thereby preventing the
reclining mechanisms 30, and in turn the chair 10, from gliding
relative to the base unit 11.
To move the chair 10 from the TV position of FIG. 3 to the fully
reclined position of FIG. 4, the occupant can continue to operate
the actuator, which extends the rod 118 farther out of the sleeve
116. When the ottomans 17a, 17b are fully extended, the pivots 84,
88 and 94 are in a near "over-center" condition that helps to lock
the ottomans 17a, 17b in an extended position. Thus, as the rod 118
continues to extend from the sleeve 116 when the chair is in the TV
position, the motor unit 114 cannot move forward relative to the
base unit 11 any farther, so the rear end of the rod 118 begins to
move rearwardly relative to the base unit 11, resulting in
clockwise rotation of the upper swing link 38 about the pivot 40.
This rotation both drives the lower swing link 34 counterclockwise
about the pivot 36 and drives the forward end of the backpost 48
upward. As a consequence, the backpost 48 rotates counterclockwise
about the pivot 58 relative to the sequencer plate 54 (and to the
seat adapter 66 and the seat frame 62). Rotation of the backpost 48
and, in turn, the backrest 15, continues until (a) the pin 48b on
the backpost 48 reaches the upper end of the slot 54a in the
sequencer plate 54 and the pin 52b of the coupling link 52 reaches
the rear end of the slot 32a of the mounting bracket 32. In this
position, the backrest 15 has reclined relative to the seat 13 at a
greater angle than in the upright and TV positions.
As can also be seen in FIG. 4, the locking mechanism 130 continues
to prevent the chair 10 from gliding as the chair 10 moves to the
fully reclined position. It can also be seen that the seat 13 rises
during movement from the TV position to the fully reclined
position.
The chair 10 can be returned to its TV position from the fully
reclined position by the occupant operating the actuator in the
reverse direction. Because of the over-center condition of the
pivots 82, 84, 88, the ottomans 17a, 17b remain extended, such that
retraction of the rod 118 draws the backrest 15 to its upright
position. Once the motion of the backrest 15 is complete, the
over-center condition of the pivots 84, 88 and 94 can be overcome,
and the ottomans 17a, 17b are able to retract to the upright
position.
Those skilled in this art will recognize that other variations of
the chair 10 are contemplated in connection with the present
invention. For example, the power unit 112 may be reversed, such
that the motor 114 is at the rear end of the power unit 112 and the
rod 118 is at the front end. In such a case, the rod 118 would
extend forwardly relative to the base unit 11 as the chair 10 moved
from the upright position to the TV position, and the motor 114
would move rearwardly relative to the base unit 11 when the chair
moved from the TV position to the fully reclined position. In
either instance, the front end of the power unit 112 moves relative
to the base unit 11 during the movement from the upright to the TV
position, and the rear end of the power unit moves relative to the
base unit 11 during the movement from the TV to the fully reclined
position.
The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not
to be construed as limiting thereof. Although exemplary embodiments
of this invention have been described, those skilled in the art
will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the
exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel
teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such
modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this
invention as recited in the claims. The invention is defined by the
following claims, with equivalents of the claims to be included
therein.
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